View Information Collection Request (ICR) Package

OMB Control No: 0651-0064	ICR Reference No: 201809-0651-001
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201712-0651-009
Agency/Subagency: DOC/PTO	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Patent Reexaminations and Supplemental Examinations
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 11/19/2018
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 09/28/2018
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	11/30/2021	36 Months From Approved	11/30/2018
Responses	1,540	0	13,814
Time Burden (Hours)	32,963	0	196,099
Cost Burden (Dollars)	2,747,178	0	34,762,340

Abstract: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is required by 35 U.S.C. §§ 131 and 151 to examine applications and, when appropriate, allow applications and issue them as patents. Chapter 30 of Title 35 U.S.C. provides that any person at any time may file a request for reexamination by the USPTO of any claim of a patent on the basis of prior art patents or printed publications. Once initiated, the reexamination proceedings under Chapter 30 are substantially ex parte and do not permit input from third parties. The rules outlining ex parte reexaminations are found at 37 CFR 1.510-1.570. 35 U.S.C. 257 permits a patent owner to request supplemental examination of a patent by the USPTO to consider, reconsider, or correct information believed to be relevant to the patent. The rules outlining supplemental examination are found at 37 CFR 1.601-1.625. The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act terminated inter partes reexamination effective September 16, 2012. However, inter partes reexamination proceedings based on inter partes reexamination requests filed before September 16, 2012, continue to be prosecuted. Therefore, this collection continues to include items related to the prosecution of inter partes reexamination proceedings. The rules outlining inter partes reexaminations are found at 37 CFR 1.903-1.931. Thus, the items included in this collection cover (1) requests for ex parte reexamination, (2) requests for supplemental examination, and (3) information that may be submitted by patent owners and third-party requesters in relation to the prosecution of an ex parte or inter partes reexamination proceeding. It should be noted that the Requests for Ex Parte Reexamination and Supplemental Examination are distinct collections from the Request for Ex Parte Reexamination and Supplemental Examination Transmittal Forms, respectively. Whereas the transmittal forms are used by a requester (patent owner or third party) as a checklist to ensure compliance with the requirements of the statutes and rules for ex parte reexaminations and supplemental examinations, the requests themselves represent the substantive analysis undertaken by requesters of ex parte reexamination and supplemental examination. The public uses this information collection to request ex parte reexamination and supplemental examination, to prosecute reexamination proceedings, and to ensure that the associated documentation is submitted to the USPTO.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 35 USC 132
   US Code: 35 USC 301-318
   PL: Pub.L. 112 - 29 12 Name of Law: Leahy-Smith America Invents Act
   US Code: 35 USC 257

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	83 FR 31379	07/05/2018
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	83 FR 49069	09/28/2018
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate
Annual Number of Responses	1,540	13,814	-9,644	-2,630
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	32,963	196,099	-101,009	-62,127
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	2,747,178	34,762,340	-33,181,910	1,166,748

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Short Statement: The decrease stemmed from administrative clean-up of how the burden is accounted for in the collection.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $67,439

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

Agency Contact: Raul Tamayo 571 272-7728 raul.tamayo@uspto.gov

View ICR - OIRA Conclusion